The invention herein is concerned with condiment shakers wherein provision is made for the selective dispensing of condiments through multiple distinct dispensing ports. Shakers of this general type are well known and basically fall into two categories, those incorporating multiple dispensing ports, each provided with its own individually manipulated cover component, and those wherein the opening of the ports requires a manipulation of the entire cover.
Examples of shakers provided with multiple discharge ports with separate manipulable cover components for each port will be noted in Waterman, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 200,270, issued Feb. 9, 1965, and Waterman, U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,606, issued July 26, 1966. In these patents, it will be appreciated that the cover consists of two searate manipulable components, each specifically associated with one of the ports and configured to conform solely to the associated port. Thus, the cover itself is a rather elaborate structure capable of being utilized only in one specific orientation relative to the top wall. In fact, it will be noted that the Waterman cover is permanently affixed to the top wall.
Another example of this general type of dispenser will be noted in Gerson, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 173,652, issued Dec. 14, 1954, wherein separate compartments are provided with open upper ends. The upper ends are sealed by an individual openable component specifically associated therewith. The dispensing ports in the side wall are always open, even with cover component in the installed position.
The patent to Yao et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,859, issued May 7, 1968, presents another shaker wherein multiple compartments are provided, each with its own port and wherein all of the ports are simultaneously opened by a manipulation of the entire cover.
Esthus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,093,272, issued June 11, 1963, is directed to yet another form of shaker wherein manipulation of the entire cover is required not only to align with the individual ports, but also to effect an opening and closing of the individual ports. With shakers of this general type, manipulation of the cover relative to the container normally requires the use of two hands, one stabilizing the container and the other rotating the cover. Further, alignment with a specific port, from the closed position of the cover, normally requires what might be considered an excess rotation of the cover until the particular port is located.